History of Reflexology

The origins of Reflexology reach back to ancient Egypt as evidenced by
inscriptions found in the physician’s tomb at Saqqara in Egypt. The
translation of the hieroglyphics is as follows: "Don’t hurt me." The
practitioner’s reply: "I shall act so you praise me. "

A form of reflexology was also practiced in ancient India and with the dominance of Buddhist and Hindu philosophy; it is thought the Buddhist monks migrated to China, Japan, Korea, Tibet and Vietnam where a form of foot massaging and healing can be traced.

Although China had already established there own form of foot therapy massage, with the introduction of Buddhism came the Indian foot massage techniques. The Chinese had previously been using acupuncture for healing, focusing on the longitudinal meridians. The theory is that when one of these meridians became blocked, it caused the pain or illness.

In Japan a form of pressure massage (Shiatsu) was used, instead of the use of needles. Hard pressure being applied by the thumbs or fingers along the meridian points thus follows in a similar way to the Chinese.

According to oral traditions, Reflexology, was passed on to the Native Americans by the Incas. The use of reflex pressure on the feet as a healing therapy has been practiced by the North American people for generations. The Cherokee of North Carolina acknowledge the importance of feet for spiritual, mental and physical balance and would incorporate sticks, oil, stones, clay and hands to practice these techniques.

In the 1890′s in London, Sir Henry Head in his studies discovered a neurological link between the skin and organs of the body. After years of research he discovered ‘Head’s Zones’ or ‘Zones of hyperalgesia’.

The Russian influence of Reflexology in the late 19th Century was pursued using physiological and psychological scientific tests. Ivan Pavlov developed the theory of stimulation reflexes with the brain, the stimulus and a response.

Around the same time the Germans were developing ways of treating diseases through massage, which they referred to as the ‘reflex massage’. This was the first time the benefits of massage were credited as being linked with reflex actions. Dr Alfons Cornelius was one of the first to use massage on the ‘reflex zones’. He recovered from an infection with massages which concentrated on the areas which he found most painful, causing him to pursue this practice in his own medical work.

Dr. William Fitzgerald referred to as the ‘Father of Reflexology’ practiced reflexology techniques in the United States in the early 20th Century. He practiced medicine in Europe before becoming Head physician at the Ear, Nose and Throat Hospital in Connecticut. It was through his own research that he became acquainted with the theory of zone therapy. He theorized the body could be divided into 10 longitudinal zones from the head to the toes.

This can be compared to the Chinese concept of acupuncture, where the body was divided into longitudinal meridians. While working with patients Dr. Fitzgerald found that by applying pressure on areas of the nose, mouth and throat it deadened the sensation on certain areas of the body. Also that by applying pressure to the hands and feet it provided pain relief, and when the pain was relived the condition that caused the pain was generally relieved. By mapping out these connections and associations, he called this ‘Zone Therapy’.

Strong supporters of Dr Fitzgerald were Dr Joseph Shelby Riley and his wife Elizabeth. Riley and his wife used Dr Fitzgerald’s techniques for many years in their practice. Over the years Riley refined and developed these theories.

It was Riley’s assistant Eunice Ingham (1879-1974) ‘The Mother of Reflexology’ who made the biggest contribution to modern reflexology. It’s because of Eunice and her hard work and dedication that reflexology finally established itself. Zone therapy was initially used in her work but because of the highly sensitive nature of feet she believed they should have specific targets which could influence the rest of the anatomy, so a map was devised of the feet that represented the entire body.

Initially Eunice called her therapy ‘compression massage’ but this later changed to ‘reflexology’ as she realized that by alternating pressure points rather than causing a numbing effect it promoted healing. Eunice spread the popularity of reflexology worldwide teaching the reflexology techniques and talking about its benefits. Today her nephew Dwight Byers continues with her work and he now runs the International Institute of Reflexology in St Petersburg.

The Zone Theory was the precursor to modern Reflexology which began with Dr. William H. Fitzgerald, M.D. whom Dr. Edwin Bowers, M.D., encouraged to publish the many articles he had written on the subject of Zone Analgesia. In the forward to their combined book, "Relieving Pain At Home" published in, 1917, he wrote, "Humanity is awakening to the fact that sickness, in a large percentage of cases, is an error - of body and mind". How true this has proved to be. Dr. Fitzgerald, was an Ear, Nose and Throat specialist working at the Boston City Hospital, as well as at St Francis Hospital in Connecticut.

He called his work Zone Analgesia where pressure was applied to the corresponding bony eminence or to the zones corresponding to the location of the injury. He also used pressure points on the tongue, palate and the back of the pharynx wall in order to achieve the desired result of pain relief or analgesia. He made use of the following tools: elastic bands, clothes pegs and aluminum combs, on the hands, surgical clamps for the tongue, nasal probes and a retractor for the pharynx. He was responsible for formulating the first chart on the longitudinal zones of the body.

Dr. Fitzgerald discovered a very interesting fact, that the application of pressure on the zones not only relieved pain but in the majority of cases also relieved the underlying cause as well.

The same result is experienced through Reflexology today, which is based partially on the Zone Theory. Dr. Shelby Riley, M.D. worked closely with Dr. Fitzgerald and developed the Zone Theory further. It seems that he added horizontal zones across the hands and feet, together with the longitudinal zones and thus determining individual reflexes according to the Zone Theory. He, like Fitzgerald, adopted continual pressure on the reflex or point of contact.

Eunice D. Ingham, a Physical Therapist, worked closely with Dr. Riley and was fascinated by the concept of Zone Therapy and started developing her foot reflex theory in the early 1930's. She had the opportunity to treat hundreds of patients where each reflex point of contact had been carefully and thoughtfully checked and rechecked until with all confidence she was able to determine that the reflexes on the feet were an exact mirror image of the organs of the body. Dr. Riley encouraged her to write her first book entitled "Stories The Feet Can Tell" where she documented her cases and carefully mapped out the reflexes on the feet as we know them today.

This book was published in 1938 and was later translated into seven foreign languages which spread the benefits of Reflexology way beyond the borders of the States. The confusion between Reflexology and Zone Therapy started at this point because the foreign publisher changed the name of Eunice’s book, “The Stories The Feet Can Tell" to "Zone Therapy" and in some parts of the world it is still thought of as Zone Therapy. However, there is a distinct difference between the two therapies. Zone Therapy relies solely on the zones to determine the area to be worked, whereas Reflexology takes the zones as well as the anatomical model to determine the area or areas to be worked.

After the publication of her book Eunice Ingham found herself on the program at many health workshops. She traveled around the country giving book reviews. Only sick and dilapidated people attended these book reviews/ workshops where she would teach people by working on them and discuss their particular health problems. As these sick people, whom everyone else had given up on, got better the word spread and Reflexology became better known amongst the medical fraternity as well as lay people.

In the late 50's Dwight Byers started helping Eunice Ingham at her workshops. In 1961 Dwight Byers and his sister Eusebia Messenger, RN joined their Aunt Eunice teaching at workshops on a full time basis. Seven years later they became responsible for the continued teaching of Reflexology under the banner of The National Institute of Reflexology. In the mid 70's Eusebia retired and Dwight Byers formed The International Institute of Reflexology®, where the theories and techniques of Reflexology were further refined.

Eunice Ingham died in 1974 at the age of 85 still thoroughly convinced that Reflexology could aid in easing the suffering of mankind. She was on the road with that message until the age of 80. Eunice Ingham’s indisputable contributions to the world of Reflexology are as follows:

1. The discovery that the reflexes on the feet are a mirror image of all the organs, glands and parts of the body - the charted map of the reflexes according to the anatomical model.

2. The alternating pressure has a stimulating effect on the body rather than a numbing effect as demonstrated by Dr. Fitzgerald.

3. Bringing Reflexology to the public and the non-medical community, as well as Naturopaths, Chiropodists, Osteopaths, Massage Therapist and Physiotherapists.

Dwight Byers and his wife Nancy have been responsible for formulating and consolidating the teachings of Eunice Ingham through The International Institute of Reflexology®. Dwight authored the book, "Better Health with Foot Reflexology The Original Ingham Method®", in 1983, revised 2001. Dwight Byers has shown the same dedication as his Aunt Eunice Ingham by promoting Reflexology and a healthier way of life in all states in the USA and many countries as far abroad as Australia, New Zealand, Singapore, Europe, Israel, South Africa and South America.

These are the people who have pioneered, developed and built the solid foundationfor Reflexology as we know it today.

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